Black Is Beautiful: The Inspiring Story of Game-Changing Visionary Kwame Brathwaite
There have been countless engaging features highlighting visual artists: Vivian Maier. Maybe the documentary format naturally comes alive when displaying exceptionally powerful still images. Here comes another remarkable instance, from creator Yemi Bamiro, documenting the impressive professional journey of Kwame Brathwaite—a creative force, musician and social justice champion who represented a unique artistic-political vision.
Alongside his family member Elombe, he effectively created the expression “Black Is Beautiful” in the sixties by capturing the Grandassa Models in the cultural epicenter: youthful women of color who became the transformative template for aesthetics, rejecting conventional grooming practices and the established Caucasian standard of womanhood.
The Influence of a Revolutionary Slogan
The iconic phrase transformed into a radical unifying message, an brilliant three-word declaration for change. Merely declaring that African Americans were beautiful became a empowering force in culture, activism and creative expression. The photographer emerged as a key figure in the civil rights global Black movement by photographing the legendary boxer leading up to his iconic Zaire bout in the seventies.
He was appointed the exclusive photographer for the band's international performances, and subsequently became the resident artist for the legendary Apollo theatre, creating an incredible collection of African American artists. Alongside Elombe, he became the central figure behind arranging for the South African leader to speak in Harlem.
Historical Recognition
Brathwaite's son his namesake recounts the family's campaign to ensure appropriate credit for his parent's achievements after he was unjustly ignored in the nation's capital's cultural museum, inaugurated by Barack Obama in recent years.
This documentary also recounts the profoundly sorrowful genesis of the photographer's interest in visual storytelling: the disturbing photographs of the lynching martyr, the teenage civil rights murder victim whose bereaved parent boldly requested an public viewing so the horrific reality of racist violence would not be hidden.
From Tragedy to Hope
In this vision of horror, Brathwaite encountered a type of transformative realization that guided him toward images of community. His images beautifully expressed celebratory strength and typically subtle in messaging: he curated a fresh iconography of pride upon which activist groups could mobilize.
It is an captivating record of creative genius that still resonate across generations.
